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| - Fun fact: If you board a TTC bus north of Steeles, your only fare options are a TTC token + 60 cents, a YRT ticket, or $4 in cash. You CANNOT pay with a Presto card, even if the bus has a working Presto machine.
I actually called the TTC customer service line to clarify this. (It's seriously not enough to carry a Metropass and Presto card? Every YRT bus accepts Presto - I actually bought the card while I was living in Vaughan.)
Scott, the representative who talked at me (not saying he helped, because he interrupted and talked over me for the entire call) confirmed that this is a legitimate TTC policy.
According to Scott, York Region charges the TTC to operate north of Steeles (because it's technically York Region and not Toronto proper). This charge is completely dependent on the number of fares collected. The TTC can't eat the 60 cent difference between their fare and the YRT's (not completely unreasonable) and is also unable to charge the higher fare on the Presto machines (um, okay, YRT buses can use the machines to charge for zone upgrades and stuff - I guess the TTC has to cut corners so they can get the machines on every bus by the end of the year?)
Scott confirmed that the machines on TTC buses will only subtract the lower fare "if they subtract anything at all". Scott, buddy, do you not understand what the machines are for? You can tell me. It's okay.
There are a lot of other tiny details that make me actually miss using the YRT (4-digit stop numbers for every stop, posted on signs at the stop; Presto machines on every bus and at every Viva stop; transfer rules that are infinitely less labyrinthine), but I should stop now lest I miss my bus. You know, the one that comes once every 45 minutes.
The TTC is complete garbage, and it's the only game in town.
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